PUPS TEAR UP THE TURF ON SUPER BOWL(TM) SUNDAY IN ANIMAL PLANET'S "PUPPY BOWL VII"

Shelter Dogs 'Ruff' It Up on the Field and Vie For 'Most Valuable Puppy' on February 6

(New York, NY) - Get ready for a new litter of very special rookies as Animal Planet's annual canine battle returns to the field with PUPPY BOWL VII, kicking off on Super BowlTM Sunday, February 6, from 3-5 PM (ET/PT). For the seventh year in a row, Animal Planet has combed rescues and shelters, with the help of Petfinder, searching for the toughest pups to play in Animal Planet Stadium. Now, the line-up is assembled, water bowls filled and chew-toys fairly distributed to the furry ballers. In another game day first, chicks will be clucking on the sidelines with the addition of chicken cheerleaders and fans will experience the field from the player's perspective with new puppy cam technology. Additionally, the intimate moments between animals, their furry companions and their owners will be celebrated with the all-new Kiss Cam.

This year's PEDIGREE(R) starting line-up is filled with spunky spaniels, pouncing pit bulls and bustling bassets that are ready for action as they vie for the title of MVP (Most Valuable Puppy). As always, PUPPY BOWL cameras catch all the plays as puppies compete for first downs, thrilling tackles and sweet end zone action. Views of the stadium will be provided by the Ice Breakers(R) blimp and its hamster pilots and our veteran PUPPY BOWL referee, Andrew Schechter, will be closely supervising the players and doling out any necessary "puppy penalties." Complete with instant replays, the popular water bowl camera and the addition of the puppy cam, viewers won't miss any of the action on the field. Plus, for the first time in PUPPY BOWL history, all the action will broadcast in a stunning native 3-D version that will premiere on "3net" - the new 3-D network joint venture of Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX in 2011.

"Puppies are my life. But when I'm on the field, I'm there to referee and call plays fairly regardless of my personal puppy preference," says Andrew Schechter. "It takes a strong man to maintain composure when you're surrounded by some of the cutest pups in the business."

If you're not the biggest fan of "The Black Eyed Peas," the frisky felines are back with an all-new edition of the BISSELL(R) KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW. To kick off the show, John Fulton, host of Animal Planet's upcoming series, MUST LOVE CATS (premiering on February 12, at 8 PM ET/PT) will delight his feline fans with a rocking kitty-inspired acoustic solo performance while they shake their tales and whiskers on a glittery stage. When the confetti falls, viewers will witness "maximum cuteness" as the curious calicos play, prance and purr for millions of fans.

All of the animals featured in PUPPY BOWL VII come from rescues and shelters. This year's starting line-up includes puppies from the Crossing Paths Animal Rescue (Alabama), Unleashed (New York), Luvfurmutts Animal Rescue (Ohio), and from as far away as All-Star Pet Recue (U.S. Virgin Islands) and Island Dog Inc. (Puerto Rico). Viewers who are interested in adopting a pet in their area can visit Petfinder.com.

To learn more about PUPPY BOWL VII fans can visit AnimalPlanet.com for some behind-the-scenes PUPPY BOWL moments and a chance to vote for this year's MVP (Most Valuable Puppy).

PUPPY BOWL VII official sponsors include the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), PEDIGREE(R) Food for Dogs, Bissell(R), Ice Breakers(R) Mints, Walt Disney Home Entertainment's Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 and Subaru of America.

PUPPY BOWL VII and the BISSELL(R) KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW are productions of Discovery Studios. For Discovery Studios, Rob Burk is the executive producer. Melinda Toporoff is the executive producer for Animal Planet.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 97 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.